Modular Modular Synth Table

I designed and built a small table and set of accessories to hold my synthesizer modules and manage their cables.

Microcarpentry.com has a new home

Microcarpentry.com now hosts my catalog of handcrafted items. 

The posts on this blog can now be found at https://microcarpentry.blogspot.com/

My Shaper Origin Meta Project - Using Shaper Origin to make a worktable to work with the Shaper Origin

I spent the afternoon cutting a multi-function table with a new tool at the Chimera Arts Makerspace: a Shaper Origin handheld CNC router. (New to me at least.)

Completed Multi-Function-Mini table sits on sawhorses and has a rigid aluminum T-slot frame. The front work table is 24" deep and the back extension table can be raised to create a coplanar surface with a field of Shaper Origin tape.

Book review -- Design for CNC

Design for CNC was written by the AtFAB group who have put together a wonderful collection of open-source [CC BY-NC-SA 3.0] furniture designs.

The book's website will give you some idea of the content.
http://www.designforcnc.com/

A box of eggs

Tapered Joints

Some experiments with angled joints.

Alternative Joints

corner snap-fit tenon pieces wrap the circumference of this box

These boxes are experiments with alternatives to the ubiquitous laser-cut box joints.

Railroad Clock

This railroad platform-style clock was made of parts from a clock that had broken. The clock mechanism, the printed face with the numerals and the bezel glass were reused in this design.

Draft Box with Double-Hinged Lid

This box design used Direct Modeling techniques in Fusion 360 and two drop-in hinge widget components which I had previously designed. The links to the original hinge components were broken, and the hinges were then customized for the application. 

Small Tansu

The small tansu was inspired by a mizuya-style kitchen tansu (see below). Fusion 360 was used to design the model at 1/5th the scale of the original tansu. The tansu model was designed for and constructed with laser cutting techniques. There are 187 parts in the assembly - 22 independently moving parts.

Ultimately, this small tansu is intended to be a desktop secretary.

The Makita Cordless Track Saw

Makita XPS01 saw on Festool MFT/3 table with Mafell dust bag attached.
Note tape over arbor hole to improve dust control.

I love track saws. A track saw is a safer alternative to a table saw for many woodworking and carpentry uses. A track saw doesn't require the dedicated shop space of a table saw. And given a long enough guide rail, track saws are ideally suited to working with large sheets of plywood, acrylic -- the primary laser cutting materials. Many laserable materials are sold in large sheets that are much more economical than pre-cut "project" pieces. And some materials are only available in 4'x8' sheets. So being able to work with sheet goods will increase your range of available materials.

Festool makes excellent track saws that dominate the market for good reason. I've used a Festool track saw for years, and I'm a huge fan. But Makita has turned my head with their new cordless track saw -- the XPS01.